The present invention relates to batteries, and in particular a battery for use in a flywheel.
Electrical motors are a less noisy, less polluting alternative to internal combustion engines for use in vehicles and other applications. One problem with the use of an electric motor is the need for a large amount of battery capacity, and the drag on the vehicle caused by the weight of the batteries.
One method for dealing with the weight of the battery is to put the weight of the batteries to use by mounting the batteries on a flywheel. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,026. By mounting the battery on the flywheel, the weight of the battery is used to store angular momentum in the flywheel, which can then be tapped as a source of power. This source of power can thus reduce the amount of power needed to be produced directly by the batteries, thus reducing the size of the batteries needed.